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2012 IEA RA Tentative Schedule of Events

Hilton Chicago
720 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605

March 15 – March 17, 2012

Guestroom rates:

$179.00 – Single occupancy (1 bathroom)
$189.00 – Double occupancy (1 bathroom)
$214.00 – Triple occupancy (1 bathroom)
$239.00 – Quad occupancy (1 bathroom)

Additional packages and promotions are available at an additional cost.  The above rates do not include any applicable taxes –16.4% beginning in January.

Guestroom internet access will be complimentary for all attendees.

Reservations

Reservation cutoff date is Monday, February 21, 2012

Online: Make your online reservations

Phone: 1-877-865-5320
Identify that you are with the Illinois Education Association

Group Name:  Illinois Education Association
Group Code:  NEA
Check-in: Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Check-out: Saturday, March 17, 2012
Hotel Name: Hilton Chicago
Hotel Address:  720 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60605
Phone Number: 312-663-6514 (For post-reservation issues)

Delegates must provide a first night’s deposit, refundable up to 72 hours in advance of the arrival date.  Checks and major credit cards are acceptable to establish deposit prepayment.  All credit cards used to prepay will be charged immediately.

Parking/Transportation:

Self parking at the Hilton is $29.00 per day (this rate does not apply to Valet Parking).

Don’t want to hassle with driving or parking?  Take Metra (commuter rail)

Amtrak offers a 10% “IEA convention” discount off the best available rail fare to (Chicago, IL) between (March 11, 2012 – March 21, 2012).  To book your reservation call Amtrak at 1 (800) 872-7245 or contact your local travel agent.

Convention discounts cannot be booked via Internet.  Please be sure to refer to Convention Fare Code X61I-938 when making your reservation.  This offer is not valid on the Auto Train and Acela Service.  Fare is valid on Amtrak Regional for all departures seven days a week, except for holiday blackouts.  Offer valid with Sleepers, Business Class or First Class seats with payment of the full applicable accommodation charges

See a video on Elliott’s work and her acceptance speech

Read the July 2010 Advocate story on Elliott’s work.

Elliott received the NEA’s Applegate-Dorros Peace and International Understanding Award, which is given for outstanding  contributions toward efforts to foster peace and international understanding and the ability to motivate youth to work toward world peace.

“The need for wider public support for international understanding and a willingness to work for peace has never been greater,” said Dennis Van Roekel, NEA president. “Kerri Elliott has made lasting contributions that will continue to make a difference for years to come.”

While visiting the Kilimahewa village near the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania during the summer of 2008, Elliott learned that local children whose families could not afford to provide a formal education for them were being taught by village elders. The Kilimahewa School initially had been held outdoors in the shade of a roadside tree until a local benefactor donated a small building to shelter the students and their teachers.

Since her initial visit, Elliott has returned to the village each summer with other volunteers for four to six weeks. Their work has enabled the villagers to expand their two-room school into the Kilimahewa Educational Center. Elliott has designed a curriculum, taught students, and provided professional development to the local school staff. Her next project is to use technology to connect her American and Tanzanian students.

In 2009 Elliott started EdPowerment with the goal of creating a clean water system. Initial drilling in 2010 found water near the village, and fundraising to supply running water to the school and the entire community continues.

If you’d like to donate to Elliott’s cause or to learn more about Project Kilimahewa, visit the project’s website.

VIDEO UPDATE: Kerri Elliott talks about her plans to return to Tanzania

Speaking to more than 9,000 educators during the National Education Association’s 90th Representative Assembly (RA) in Chicago on Sunday, Vice President Joe Biden told delegates that the current national debate is about a fundamental difference in vision for America.

NEA Representative Assembly - June 30 - July 5, 2011

June 30 – July 5, 2011
McCormick Place Convention Center
Chicago, Illinois

The NEA Representative Assembly is the primary legislative and policymaking body of the Association and derives its powers from, and is responsible to, the membership. The Representative Assembly adopts the strategic plan and budget, resolutions, the Legislative Program, and other policies of the Association. Delegates vote by secret ballot on proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws. Those delegates with full voting rights elect the executive officers, Executive Committee members, and at-large members of the NEA Board of Directors, as appropriate.

The RA consists of some 9,000 delegates representing state and local affiliates, student members, retired members, and other segments of the united education profession. Further information on the RA is contained in Article III of the Constitution and in Bylaw 3. The RA is the largest democratic deliberative assembly in the world and adheres to Roberts Rules of Order.

Illinois Night, Volunteer Sign-Up, Order NEA Shirts

Illinois Night this year will feature a tribute to President Ken Swanson (maybe we will call it: Ken’s Swansong, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Pat Quinn). It will be held at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel on Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. in the Grand/State Ballroom. The cost is $69.00 per person. (Includes dinner. Dress code: casual but tasteful.) Hilarious entertainment will be performed by The Second City, the world’s premier comedy theatre. Shuttle bus transportation will be provided (details to follow). Tickets will be given to Region Chairs during the First Illinois Caucus. Want to be a volunteer to assist the Illinois delegation? You can sign up to assist IEA delegates both at the IEA Caucus and on the NEA RA Floor. In addition you can purchase your IEA shirts – Black or Red zipped, hooded sweatshirts. A limited number of Khaki twill, long-sleeved shirts are also available. Registration is closed..

NEA RA delegate hotel assignments

Regions 21, 22, 26, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 38, 39, 41, 42, 44, 46, 51, 55, 56, 59, 65, 66

Hotel Name: Sheraton Chicago
Hotel Address: 301 East North Water Street, Chicago, IL 60601
Phone Number: 800-233-4100; 312-329-7000; Central Reservations 800-325-3535
Website: Make Reservations
Group Name: Illinois Education Association-NEA

Regions 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 27, 32, 35, 36, 37, 43, 47, 49, 50, 53, 54, 57, 60, 61, 64, Retired, Students

Hotel Name: Palmer House Hotel
Hotel Address: 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, IL 60603
Phone Number: 312-621-7377
Website: Make Reservations
Group Name: Illinois Education Association-NEA

Regions 2, 13, 18, 23, 25, 40, 52, 58

Hotel Name: Sofitel, Chicago Water Tower
Hotel Address: 20 East Chestnut Street, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone Number: 877-813-7700
Website: Make reservations
Group Name: Illinois Education Association
Group Code: IEA NEA

Regions 1, 3, 4, 5, 14, 24, 31, 45, 48, 62, 63, 67

Hotel Name: Hotel 71
Hotel Address: 7 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601
Phone Number: 312-346-7100
Website: Make reservations
Group Name: Illinois Education Association
Group Code: NEA Illinois

View Flyer

Friendship Night

Please join us for a live taping of NPR’s From the Top with host Christopher O’Riley. For the past decade, the popular radio show From the Top has been the preeminent showcase for America’s best young musicians. Each program features a diverse group of highly talented young musicians, ages 8-18. The program begins promptly at 6:30pm and will be followed by a reception with music and dancing.

Purchase tickets by June 20^th to get the reduced rate of $5. (Tickets purchased after June 20^th cost $7.50. Ticket price covers general admission and one free soda/beer/wine at the party that follows the broadcast.) Purchase your ticket for Friendship Night.

More Information

More information is available on the NEA Website using the links below.

• NEA RA Website
• NEA RA 101
  NEA RA FAQs
• 2011 Tentative Agenda
• Delegate Resources
• Travel, Transportation and Lodging

Questions about the NEA RA?

Secretary-treasurer-elect Al Llorens, President-elect Cinda Klickna, Vice president-elect Kathi Griffin

A high school English teacher from Rochester has been elected president of the state’s largest education employees’ union.

On Saturday, March 12, delegates attending the Illinois Education Association (IEA) Representative Assembly in Rosemont elected Cinda Klickna to the organization’s top position.

Klickna, who started teaching in Springfield in 1973, has served as IEA secretary-treasurer since 2005.

Prior to her election as an IEA officer, Klickna served on the IEA Board of Directors, the National Education Association (NEA) Board of Directors and as president of the Springfield Education Association.

Klickna will succeed Ken Swanson of Belvidere as the IEA president. Swanson is in his second and final term as president, a post he has held since 2005.

Delegates to the IEA meeting also elected a new vice president, secretary treasurer and members of the NEA Board of Directors

• Kathi Griffin, an elementary school teacher from Schaumburg was elected IEA vice president.
• Al Llorens, a high school teacher from Dolton, was elected the new IEA secretary-treasurer.
• Joyce Bailey, an elementary teacher from Naperville, Tom Tully, a driver’s education instructor in Lombard, Alex Wallace, a school bus driver from Oswego and Vickie Mahrt, a speech/language pathologist in Normal, were elected to represent IEA on the NEA Board of Directors.

Fr left: Tully, Wallace, Llorens, Klickna, Griffin, Bailey, Mahrt

All the officer terms are for three years. Newly elected IEA officials will take office July 15

The Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the largest education employees’ organization in the state. IEA represents more than 132,000 teachers, education support professionals, higher education faculty, staff and graduate assistants, retired educators and students planning to become teachers.

IEA is a state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA).

Please wear your shirt on Saturday at the IEA RA to show your support of public education.

Download:

IEA Scholarship Shirts 2011

2011 IEA RA Schedule of Events

The governing board for the state’s largest education employees union has voted to move its annual meeting, involving more than 1,200 delegates, in a show of support for workers involved in a labor dispute with Hyatt Hotels.

The Illinois Education Association (IEA) Board of Directors unanimously voted to move its Representative Assembly from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, where it has been held since the 1990’s.  The move is being made because Hyatt is involved in a longstanding national labor dispute with UNITE HERE, the union representing hotel workers.

Saturday’s IEA Board vote approved IEA President Ken Swanson’s recommendation that the meeting be moved from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.

“We felt it was absolutely necessary to support our union brethren in this dispute, regardless of whatever significant additional costs or changes in the meeting schedule that come as a result,” Swanson said.

Swanson said he will formally inform UNITE HERE of the board’s action via a letter that will re-state IEA’s support for the workers involved in the dispute with Hyatt.  Previously, Swanson had verbally assured the UNITE HERE’s leadership that the education employees support their efforts, though no formal action could be taken until the IEA Board met over the weekend.

“Organized labor stood together in the recent election and will we need to stand together going forward.  Regardless of the monetary costs or inconveniences this decision generates, we intend to seize opportunities to support each other and advance our common interests,” Swanson added.

The search, which began weeks ago, for a new meeting site for the 2011 IEA Representative Assembly, is continuing.  IEA will have an announcement of the changes as soon as IEA leadership has voted on the new plan.  Currently, the meeting is scheduled to take place from March 10-12, 2011.

More information on the Illinois Education Association-NEA can be found at www.ieanea.org.

Information on UNITE HERE is available at http://www.unitehere1.org/

• Conference sessions are planned to meet your needs.
• Sessions build on those things learned in college and university classrooms to ex-tend knowledge and understanding.
• Educational experts conduct sessions and network with student participants regarding current issues and trends in education.
• Various vendors display and sell educational materials.

Register Online >>

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IEA Student Program Conference Fall Conference 2010